Parachute deployed window

[Greg Bloomfield]

On an visit to the RAF Oulton museum today I saw, in a framed display case, the above object. They were stored in tiny cardboard boxes only a few inches square and very narrow in depth. Inside was a small parachute that supported a spool of 'window'. Apparently, as the spool unwound the strips would disperse into a cloud of foil. I have never heard of this method of delivery before and neither of the two volunteer museum guides could tell me anything about it. The spools were no wider than the tapes found in old music cassettes (for those of us old enough to remember them) and nowhere near the dimensions of the usual strips of window. Can anyone shed any light on these?

[Greg Bloomfield]

I can only assume then that nobody has heard of these supposed objects. I did take a couple of photos, albeit poor ones but they do show the objects off very well. The parachute canopy was made of paper which I would have thought would have been ripped apart in the slipstream upon opening. If anyone wants the pics forwarded I'd be more tan happy to do so by email.

[wwrsimon]

Is it like this?

https://hansonslive.hansonsauctionee.../141/lot/64087

Could the the parachute be a sort of drogue to make sure the foil spools out in a continuous length below it?

https://www.dearoldblighty.com/en-GB...aff/prod_18256

Regards

Simon

PS - you might want to amend the typo in your title - people might think it's about something else completely...!

[Greg Bloomfield]

That's exactly it! Were these widely used as I've never heard mention of them before.

As for the typo, I can't believe I hadn't noticed that. 'Send three and fourpence, we're going to a dance'!

[JDCAVE]

I seem to recall one of the AIR files or some other source talking about various types of window, experimental or operational. I don’t think this particular form was widely deployed or for any length of time.

Jim

[Don Clark]

Jim,
Perhaps thinking of
AP 3407 Signals Vol VII Radio Counter-measures


In the highly useful AHB collection,
text searchable PDF here:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisat...nter-measures/

Chapter 9 Window devotes pages 98 to 124 to the topic.
A closer read than my quick check just now may find something of interest there.

[JDCAVE]

Thanks Don. I looked through that some time ago and would have to refresh. However, I think I read some immediate, end of war docs that covered it. If I recall, I was looking for studies on the possible effect of window on H2S.

Jim